Music Reviews : SCREAM Festival Proves Something to Shout About

An appropriate, albeit nostalgic, kickoff to American Music Week, the third annual SCREAM Festival--presented by the County Museum of Art and USC--proceeded Sunday at the museum with solid music-making and a few pleasant surprises.

More scaled-down and focused than the previous marathons, this extravaganza from the Southern California Resource for Electro-Acoustic Music included three events: eight tape pieces presented in the museum’s bustling main plaza, followed by an autobiographical lecture by Milton Babbitt and a concert of six works for tape and solo instrumentalist/singer in Bing Theater.

Of Babbitt’s output utilizing synthesizer (10 works in all), four of the more familiar ones were presented, providing a symbolic summation of his contribution to electro-acoustic music. His lecture provided insight into his pioneering accomplishments in both total serialism and what he refered to as “the Dark Ages of electro-acoustic music.”

But the festival’s most glorious moment was pianist Jerry Kuderna’s rendition of Babbitt’s “Reflections” (1974). Originally to be performed by another pianist, the piece had been canceled due to its uncompromising difficulty.

Kuderna, who happened to be in the audience during Babbitt’s lecture, volunteered to perform the piece at the last minute and overcame the serial intricacies of the score with comprehensive expertise. Other Babbitt works presented were “Philomel” (1964) and “Phonemena” (1974), both proficiently performed by soprano Judith Bettina, and a profound synthesized tape piece for 12-tone purists, “Occasional Variations” (1971).

Patricia Cloud carefully managed Carlos Rodriguez’s dodecaphonic “Five Movements” (1987) for amplified flute, various electronic devices adding a satisfying touch. Of the tape pieces, “Upon the Cello”(1988) by Thomas Flaherty stood out for an inventive, poetic use of the Synclavier and extended cello effects.

Also worthy of mention were Frank Proto’s post-modern collage “The Death of Desdemona” (1987), tentatively performed by double bassist Paul Ellison, and Mark Waldrep’s enigmatic hodgepodge “Morphism IV” for mallet controller, marimba and computer, dutifully delivered by percussionist Amy Knoles.